"Are you kidding me? You're looking down on me, aren't you? How the hell do you plan to cut me when I'm invincible!?"
Incensed by Ryuga’s calm demeanor, Cyan screamed with a mix of irritation and mockery. He threw a straight punch, but Ryuga didn't even bother drawing his blade. Instead, he swatted the fist aside with his scabbard, redirecting the blow's trajectory.
"Wait, what—? Gwah!"
Before he realized his own fist was turning back toward him, Cyan had punched himself squarely in the face. As he staggered back and fell onto his backside, Ryuga spoke to him tonelessly.
"It seems your invincibility only negates pain and damage. You can still be knocked off balance by physical impact. That gives me plenty of ways to handle you."
"D-Dammit...! Whoa!"
Cyan shook his head and tried to stand, only for Ryuga to thrust his scabbard forward, blowing him away. Having separated the traitor from the others, Ryuga turned back to his friends.
"I can handle things here. Everyone else, get to the upper floors."
"Are you sure about this, Ryuga?" Yugo asked.
"Hmph... Don't ask me questions, partner."
"Heh! Right, I forgot!"
Yugo gave a deep nod and slapped Ryuga on the shoulder, a fearless smirk crossing his face. As the others began rushing into the depths of Hauvent Castle, Ryuga called out to Marcos.
"Marcos! Don't forget what I told you."
"...To do everything in my power to accomplish what I can do... right?"
Marcos nodded back to Ryuga, who wore a faint smile, before turning to follow Yugo.
Ryuga intended to focus entirely on the fight with Cyan, but Raiha, who had lingered until the very end, called out to him.
"Ryuga-san!"
Ryuga turned, broadening his focus back to the last of his allies. Raiha stood there, her mouth working as if struggling to find the right words, before she finally blurted out her feelings with all her might.
"Please... may fortune favor you in battle!"
Ryuga locked eyes with her for a few silent seconds. Despite his stern expression, he spoke to Raiha just as she prepared to turn and run.
"...You be careful, too. If you die here, I won't be able to see your atonement through to the end."
"!"
Startled by the unexpected concern, Raiha froze and looked back. Ryuga let out a frustrated grunt, his expression unreadable.
"Go, quickly. If you dally like that, there was no point in me staying behind."
"R-Right!"
Once he saw Raiha dash into the castle, Ryuga finally turned his full attention back to Cyan. The boy stood up and walked forward slowly, his voice thick with growing rage.
"You're such a pain, seriously...! If you were just dead, those Warrior Shrine Maidens would have been mine by now!"
"I almost have to respect the sheer audacity it takes to say that after being rejected so thoroughly... but your premise is flawed. No matter how much you wish for it, I will not die. Remember that."
"Ha! Then I'll kill you right here and prove you wrong!"
Fueled by his hatred for Ryuga, Cyan lunged. Ryuga dodged the flurry of punches and kicks, parrying where necessary. Seeing an opening, he struck Cyan in the gut with his sheathed katana, but this time, the boy didn't budge.
"Hahaha! It's useless! I was a little careless before, but as long as I focus my spirit, this is nothing!"
"......"
Boasting of his [Invincible] power, Cyan threw a telegraphed punch. Ryuga leaped back to avoid it, his eyes narrowing as he analyzed the anomaly.
(Something is wrong... Why is there a variance in his invincibility?)
When Melt and Setsuna had opened fire earlier, and even when Yugo had attacked, Cyan had barely reacted, as if the blows had no weight at all. Yet, when Ryuga had struck him just a moment ago, he had been blown away despite taking no actual damage. There was a clear difference in the physical response.
He considered if the magic power required for the Clear Plate had run out, but looking at how Cyan was now effortlessly enduring his strikes again, that seemed unlikely.
In that case, what caused that mysterious phenomenon? He reflected on Cyan’s comment about "focusing his spirit" and the nature of Clear Plates, and a possibility dawned on him.
"...Time for a test."
It was only a hypothesis, but it was worth the attempt. Ryuga exhaled, centering his energy. He readjusted his grip on his sheathed blade and focused his mind, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.